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Kofi

Wunky

Wunky

Heisman
Jan 16, 2021
4,348
18,064
78
Guys, forgive my ignorance as I am neither a recruiting guru nor do I keep up with who has reliable inside info.

I see literally dozens of people in the Duren threads stating that Cal passed on Kofi as fact. Can anyone actually confirm this, and that Kofi didn’t simply pass on us?

I’m not freaking out like a lot on here. Even though I typically tire of Cal’s cliches such as “I like my team”, this year I actually DO like our team as currently constructed. But I must have missed that losing Kofi was 100% because we turned him down. So again, can someone please provide factual evidence of this? Thanks in advance.
 
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bluecat78

Freshman
Jul 5, 2005
465
64
0
Wonky said:
Guys, forgive my ignorance as I am neither a recruiting guru nor do I keep up with who has reliable inside info.

I see literally dozens of people in the Duren threads stating that Cal passed on Kofi as fact. Can anyone actually confirm this, and that Kofi didn’t simply pass on us?

I’m not freaking out like a lot on here. Even though I typically tire of Cal’s cliches such as “I like my team”, this year I actually DO like our team as currently constructed. But I must have missed that losing Kofi was 100% because we turned him down. So again, can someone please provide factual evidence of this? Thanks in advance
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Fact. I know him personally. Cal will never see another Final Four. You good with that, because I'm not. 10 loss season coming up.
 
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track42

Heisman
Feb 18, 2017
6,597
15,047
0
Almost all the so called UK insiders said it.Matt Jones,Pilgrim,Graf,etc.People will believe what they want but the story is that O and Chin talked to Kofi and wanted him but Cal didn't bother talking to him.Some say it's because he thought some of the players like Oscar and Keion didn't want him and Kofi didn't fit the new style.Some said it was because he thought he had a great shot at Duren.
 
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Wildcats1st

Heisman
Sep 16, 2017
18,949
28,911
0
crawfords corner said:
If UK plays to the roster construction then Kofi is a square peg trying to be fitted in to a round hole. Would have been great to have him, but UK would have to play differently with him on the court.
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maybe this is the case. Idk but why go so hard for duren if it is? You either like your team and think this is the group you need or your skeptical of your team. Seems like cals actions showed skepticism but his words say he’s happy. IMO he took a massive ego shot losing out to frogging Memphis AGAIN!
 
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bucsrule8872

Heisman
May 30, 2005
24,397
29,352
0
Nobody knows.

So basically you get to make up your own story.

I like to believe that Antigua and Coleman promised Underwood they wouldn’t poach anyone from the Illinois team and that Cockburn was not a great fit on this team anyway, so why burn bridges?

But once again, no one really knows.
 
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Sparky285

All-Conference
May 10, 2021
1,135
2,155
0
Well you’re asking us to prove a negative. Not a legally admissible standard to make an argument.

KSR didn’t put it out but they have proof they knew 4 days before that Kofi was going back to Illinois, and they also are the ones that said Cal just wasn’t interested in adding him.

Every talking head and every fan that follows recruiting say UK passed on Kofi, and neither party has disputed that narrative
 
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MbergCat

MbergCat

Heisman
Nov 23, 2014
7,507
14,113
113
track42 said:
Almost all the so called UK insiders said it.Matt Jones,Pilgrim,Graf,etc.People will believe what they want but the story is that O and Chin talked to Kofi and wanted him but Cal didn't bother talking to him.Some say it's because he thought some of the players like Oscar and Keion didn't want him and Kofi didn't fit the new style.Some said it was because he thought he had a great shot at Duren.
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If it's because of Duren, then fans have a right to be irritated.
 
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jrpross_rivals

jrpross_rivals

Heisman
Feb 21, 2008
17,545
36,060
113
MbergCat said:
If it's because of Duren, then fans have a right to be irritated.
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I really, really, really don’t think it was. I think it was either not poaching an Illinois player after we took 2 coaches or that they thought it was a poor fit and it might disrupt team chemistry. I seriously doubt the staff passed on Kofi because they thought they were getting Duren.

And anybody that says they know for sure it’s FOS.
 
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Catfan2226

All-American
Apr 13, 2012
5,241
6,625
0
I guess its beating a dead horse but no way...no way do you not make an effort to get a second team all American player on the roster..I mean he may have went back to Illinois anyway but if he was interested in UK then as a head coach you talk to the kid.
 
R

Raroyder

Freshman
Sep 17, 2002
2,186
61
0
All the gossip says Calipari passed. I tend to believe when there's smoke there could be fire.

However the bigger concern is Antigua and Chin Coleman are perhaps feeling a conflict of interest and I think Cal understood that more than just not wanting him. Antigua and Coleman then getting the superstar player from the same school is just not the right look anyhow.

That being said it's a decision thats probably going to bite them because Kofi is the most impressive big man quite easily in all of college ball
 
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HICATFAN

HICATFAN

All-American
Aug 15, 2001
8,793
7,700
113
SpamburgerHamburger said:
Consensus is Cal and coaches didn't think the fit was right with our current team. Simple as that. I trust Cal to make those decisions because I, like everyone else on this board, have no idea what is really going on in that locker room and practices.
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chemistry (potentially) issue?

AlohaCat
 
C

cats#1again

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2011
8,011
4,587
0
Sparky285 said:
Well you’re asking us to prove a negative. Not a legally admissible standard to make an argument.

KSR didn’t put it out but they have proof they knew 4 days before that Kofi was going back to Illinois, and they also are the ones that said Cal just wasn’t interested in adding him.

Every talking head and every fan that follows recruiting say UK passed on Kofi, and neither party has disputed that narrative
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Who is going to refute it? You think Kofi is gonna tell that uk didn't want him?
The people on here that think the coaching staff isn't on the same page is sadly mistaken. Our assistants have a job to talk with recruits, keep them believing the school is interested . The truth is all 3 of chin, coach O and cal were on the same page with Kofi from word go. It looks as if none of them really cared to disrupt their roster for him.
2 very smart assistants just watched their number 1 seed get beat mainly because Kofi couldn't move laterally. Much like Garza, Kofi is the perfect center for reg season pound it out basketball. Neither have what it takes to guard good enough to win a title
 
C

cats#1again

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2011
8,011
4,587
0
At the start of last season did anyone think Illinois was good enough to get a 1 seed? How bout UCLA making final 4?
This notion that our roster isn't good enough is bogus. You don't have to have a dominant freshman to win a title.
Sure cal has been better with great freshman but the whole team were freshmen at that time
I'll go on record saying this is the best roster we have had minus 2015 from top to bottom.
#9/10 on roster are much better players than 9/10 from 2015
 
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TheWyldKat_rivals45219

TheWyldKat_rivals45219

All-American
Mar 13, 2016
5,830
5,373
61
SpamburgerHamburger said:
Consensus is Cal and coaches didn't think the fit was right with our current team. Simple as that. I trust Cal to make those decisions because I, like everyone else on this board, have no idea what is really going on in that locker room and practices.
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I do agree that’s probably what Cal thought but it’s obvious Orlando and Coach Coleman did not feel the same, they were pushing for Kofi.

When you can get a player like Kofi you take him. You make it work. You have to be able to adapt. This will come back to bite Cal right on the butt at some point. Oscar only averages about 20 to 25 minutes per game. He’s extremely foul prone.

We have no one that can step in at the five. Maybe Lance. Just saying, I truly am disappointed that they passed on Kofi. We are always one player away seems like.
 
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STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,883
57,632
98
cats#1again said:
At the start of last season did anyone think Illinois was good enough to get a 1 seed? How bout UCLA making final 4?
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Well ... a lot of people thought we were good enough to get a 1 seed and make the Final Four last year. Then we went 9-16.

Predictions are hard.
 
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cats#1again

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2011
8,011
4,587
0
STL_Cat said:
Well ... a lot of people thought we were good enough to get a 1 seed and make the Final Four last year. Then we went 9-16.

Predictions are hard.
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True
A lot of people don't think things through either though. Looking back there was ever sign you could possibly need that told us our coaching staff wasn't as strong as it should be in case of emergency. The players were not a team either.

My point was , you don't always have to have that super star must get player.
That's the beauty of college basketball though.
This UK team is the Villanova, Virginia, Baylor , Texas tech type squad
 
S

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,883
57,632
98
cats#1again said:
True
A lot of people don't think things through either though. Looking back there was ever sign you could possibly need that told us our coaching staff wasn't as strong as it should be in case of emergency. The players were not a team either.

My point was , you don't always have to have that super star must get player.
That's the beauty of college basketball though.
This UK team is the Villanova, Virginia, Baylor , Texas tech type squad
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Forgetting about recruiting stars, Baylor DID have stars last year. They had 2 All-Americans. I’ve seen people repeat this point that Baylor had no stars last year and it’s not true.
 
C

cats#1again

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2011
8,011
4,587
0
STL_Cat said:
Forgetting about recruiting stars, Baylor DID have stars last year. They had 2 All-Americans. I’ve seen people repeat this point that Baylor had no stars last year and it’s not true.
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I didn't say they didn't. But their team had no huge named recruit. People are writing our team off for missing on Duren because we have no top 5 recruit.
By the end of this season I don't think there will be a very big gap between our guards and what Baylor put on the floor. If Grady translates to the sec he's as good as anyone. I see no reason to think he can't with how well mid major guards do against the top teams in march. When you can play, you can play.
 
S

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,883
57,632
98
cats#1again said:
I didn't say they didn't. But their team had no huge named recruit. People are writing our team off for missing on Duren because we have no top 5 recruit.
By the end of this season I don't think there will be a very big gap between our guards and what Baylor put on the floor. If Grady translates to the sec he's as good as anyone. I see no reason to think he can't with how well mid major guards do against the top teams in march. When you can play, you can play.
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But that’s more or less my point. I’m not writing our team off, but I am saying there are some pretty big question marks that are yet to be answered. I dont personally see there’s any way our guards are as good as Butler and Mitchell were last year. Time will tell.

we’ve not seen Cal win and win big here without a top 5 recruit. This is a fact. That’s why this is a pretty big question mark
 
K

KYFOSSIL

Heisman
Jan 13, 2005
7,733
10,299
62
STL_Cat said:
But that’s more or less my point. I’m not writing our team off, but I am saying there are some pretty big question marks that are yet to be answered. I dont personally see there’s any way our guards are as good as Butler and Mitchell were last year. Time will tell.

we’ve not seen Cal win and win big here without a top 5 recruit. This is a fact. That’s why this is a pretty big question mark
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I think TyTy can play at a top 5 level.
 
S

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,883
57,632
98
KYFOSSIL said:
I think TyTy can play at a top 5 level.
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Again, you’re reiterating my point. I know we all hope so. And I think from what I hear it’s possible. But it’s definitely a question mark. We thought the same of Boston last year and a year ago at this time you’d have been slapped down pretty hard for even asking the question about Boston.
 
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RACdad

RACdad

All-American
Mar 8, 2005
9,903
9,907
113
track42 said:
Almost all the so called UK insiders said it.Matt Jones,Pilgrim,Graf,etc.People will believe what they want but the story is that O and Chin talked to Kofi and wanted him but Cal didn't bother talking to him.Some say it's because he thought some of the players like Oscar and Keion didn't want him and Kofi didn't fit the new style.Some said it was because he thought he had a great shot at Duren.
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Sounds like a little of both
 
Cowtown Cat

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
23,984
54,392
100
track42 said:
Almost all the so called UK insiders said it.Matt Jones,Pilgrim,Graf,etc.People will believe what they want but the story is that O and Chin talked to Kofi and wanted him but Cal didn't bother talking to him.Some say it's because he thought some of the players like Oscar and Keion didn't want him and Kofi didn't fit the new style.Some said it was because he thought he had a great shot at Duren.
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The first part of your post is exactly what Graf said about the situation. That O and Chin talked to him and that Cal never spoke to the kid. Said that Cal didn’t even pursue him. Mind boggling.
 
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